Healing hearts, minds, and bodies
by LadyNightRunner
Summary: The Mistress of the Mystic Sword is just your average high-power duel-monster. Young and an excellent healer, her blood-brother calls on her to deal with a wounded and sick Dark Magician. This means one thing: Trouble
1. Assignment

"Wake up! Up! As in not asleep, not lying in bed! Are you listening to me?" The Mistress of the Mystic Sword rolled over and covered her head with a pillow. "Goway" she mumbled, and then gasped in shock as the blankets over her were whisked off. It was a _very _chilly morning. "No, not 'goway'. Up. You've had an extra ten minutes." "But-" "No buts. Up" She rolled off her bed and stood, stretching. "You could've been a little nicer y'know Joan." "I've been nicer for the past ten minutes. I was tired of you saying 'five more minutes', so I had to do something." Saint Joan responded. The Mistress of the Mystic Sword (Mystic or Mistress) yawned. "What's up for today?" " You know as much as I do. I'd ask Gaia. He'll probably know." Saint Joan was talking to an empty space. Mystic has retreated to the connecting bathroom and is already showering. "Ugh. Why do I even bother?" she grumbled, and left.

10 minutes later "Hey, Joan. Did you answer my question?" Mystic emerged from the shower, vigorously rubbing her foot-longer-than-waist-length black hair dry with a towel. She scanned the room that she and Saint Joan shared. The other warrior was nowhere to be seen. "Huh? Where'd she go?" Scanning the room again, she spotted a note on her bed, which had been made neatly. She sighed; Saint Joan was very much the neat-freak. Picking up the note, she flopped onto her bed. It read: 'Mystic. I had an early shift at the dining hall. You should go see Gaia. He should be in the forest on the edges of the Dragon Lands. Have a good day and please try to stay out of trouble.' She sighed. That was Joan, always assuming that she, the Mistress of the Mystic Sword, would get into any and all trouble. Of course, this was true. She was a teenager, after all. "Dragon Lands, here I come." She murmured, dressed, and headed out the door, grabbing an early peach from a bowl on her way. She ran down the hallway, neatly dodging the other Duel Monsters that were in the hall. Once outside, she slowed her pace, enjoying her peach and the pristine early-summer morning. When she had finished the fruit, Mystic put two fingers to her lips and blew three shrill notes, then one low, followed by two more high and another low. A howl answered the call, closely followed by SilverFang, an over-sized wolf, who came bounding up to the girl. "Hey Fang! Are 'ya up to givin' me a ride to the edge of the Dragon Lands?" "Of course I am!" he replied, licking her face and bouncing around like an energetic puppy. "Why do you need to go there?" "I've got to find Gaia. Joan said he has something for me to do." "Gaia isn't going to be there." SilverFang said smugly. "Well, if you're so clever, where is he going to be?" "He's gonna be at the Crystal Pond in an hour or so. Why don't I take you there instead?" "Sure. I could use a swim. Let's go!" Mystic hopped onto the wolf's back, and buried her hands in his fur. Not a moment to soon either. SilverFang shot back into the forest.

Fifteen windswept minutes later, SilverFang stopped quickly, and Mystic nearly shot over his head and into the pool beyond. "D'ya think you could've stopped any more abruptly?" "Probably." "You're annoying." " I try. I don't suppose you thought to bring a swimsuit, did you?" "No." "You do know he's gonna see, right?" "He's not going to see anything. If he looks I'll get him, and he knows that. I know Gaia better than most." "That's only because you two share blood." "Yeah, whatever. It's because I'm the only female who can put him in his place. My attack and defense are both higher than his." "Okay. See you later. If you need me, whistle." SilverFang turned and bounded back into the trees.

Mystic stretched and surveyed her surroundings. Although she frequently came here to swim, the beauty of the place always astounded her. The actual pool was a good twenty feet across, thirty feet long, and, at the deepest point, over twelve feet deep. At one end, a cascade of water poured over a twenty-five-foot cliff, foamed into a deep pool, then poured over a series of small pools, no more than eight feet deep and twelve feet across, before ending up in the actual pool. True to the name, the water was crystal clear, enabling you to see the bottom, a medley of soft sand and smooth gravel. Large boulders, some rough, some smooth, lay scattered around the perimeter of the pool, ranging in size from just over seven feet tall to the size of a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. "I love it here!" Mystic cried to no one. Without further ado, she stripped off her clothing and dove into the pool.

For nearly an hour Mystic splashed and played in the water. All of a sudden, she felt the presence of another monster. A familiar monster. A soft whistle came from some nearby rocks when she stood in the shallows, trying to pinpoint the entity. Sudden realization struck her, followed by a wave of anger. "Pervert!" she screeched, hurling a rock at the noise. There was a dull thud and a yelp of "OW!" before Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight tumbled from the position halfway up a large rock. Mystic sighed, picking up the towel she'd left in the bushes last time she was here. Once she was sufficiently covered, she sauntered over to the monster sitting in the grass, rubbing his head. "You're aim is still as good as ever." He muttered ruefully "I was hoping it wasn't." "What did you expect? I've told you dozens of times that I won't tolerate you admiring my body." "But you're the best looking female in this deck!" Gaia protested. He tried to get up in order to look Mystic in the eye, but fell over. "Hmmmm. Maybe I should tell Dark Magician Girl that. She's quite vain when it comes to her looks." "No! Don't do that!" "Okay, just don't peek while I get dressed." "I won't." "On oath?" "Oh, c'mon! Don't make me take oath!" "Don't argue with me." Gaia sighed and held out his right hand. Mystic grasped it in her own, pulling him to his feet. Together, they spoke these words: "Friend and friend together act. Here's my hand and here's my pact." A soft blue glow shone around the joined hands for a moment, then faded. Smiling contentedly, Mystic collected her clothing and retreated behind some thick bushes. "What are the consequences today?" Gaia wanted to know. "Pink skin and flippers for a week." "Pink skin and flippers!? Do you want me to look like the Cure Mermaid!?" "Only if you don't keep your word. Hang on, I'm almost done." Once she was dressed, Mystic came back out into the open and sat down next to the male monster, who was still rubbing the back of his head. "Here, let me fix that." Gaia turned so that Mystic could reach the back of his head. She carefully placed a hand on the bruise she'd given Gaia, and a light purple light blossomed around her hand. When the light was gone, she removed the hand. "Better?" "Yeah. Thanks." "No problem. So, what's my latest assignment? Joan said you had a job for me." "Uh-huh. One of the monsters got beat half-to-death and apparently got sick to boot. I need you to tend to him until he's okay again." "Okay, is it a powerful monster or a stubborn one? You never give me easy ones." "Both. Can you guess who?" "Just tell me already." "Okay. Dark Magician." "Oh gods no!" "Oh yes. You're the best healer and most stubborn person I know. You can handle him. Noone else can." Gaia put on his best pleading face. It worked. Mystic sighed. "Okay, you win. I'll do it."


	2. Healing

"Okay, how did someone manage to catch the Dark Magician, let alone beat him?" Mystic wanted to know. "I really don't know. Kuriboh got into his room and saw him before he threw him out. Or, propelled him out, since Kuriboh floats." "Okay, so Kuriboh saw injuries. How do you know he's sick?" "How 'bout I show you? Kuriboh let me copy the memory and keep it for records." "Okay. Show me." Gaia pulled a small purple orb seemingly out of thin air. This was a special trick of his, an inter-spatial pocket to put things in. This also was were his horse resided, of it's own choosing, in a form of suspended animation the Cure Mermaid had invented. Gaia then proceeded to draw a tiny blade that protruded from the orb over his palm, cutting a small, shallow cut. This didn't alarm Mystic. Blood was often used in spells involving the projecting of an event. The orb glowed for a moment, and then a large image materialized in mid-air. "This is from Kuriboh's point of view." Gaia commented. The words fell upon deaf ears, as Mystic was already deeply into the image before her.

Kuriboh/Mystic Point Of View I just floated down the hall. I'm bored, and the Dark Magician always has a way to get me un-bored. Sometimes he needs an assistant, or someone to talk to (that doesn't happen much), or he'll play with me, juggling me along with the juggling balls from the set he has. I always enjoy myself. Oh, good. The door's open. I float inside. By the creator! There is something seriously wrong with this scene. At this time of day, the Dark Magician (Note: Here on in known as Dark, or similar.) is either at his desk, or in his armchair, deep in a book, writing, or project. Occasionally, he'll be at the workbench in his workroom, busy with some experiment. Not today. Today, Dark was lying on his couch, drenched in blood. I have a sensitive nose, and I know his blood. It was his own blood. In addition, there was an odd flush on his cheeks and nose, and his breathing sounded rough and painful. Worried, I floated closer and tapped his shoulder carefully. His eyes snapped open. "Get out." He whispered. I know that whisper, the one he uses when he's either doing something delicate, or wants no one to see what he's doing. I stayed, concerned for his safety. Losing that much blood could not be good for him. "I said…GET OUT!" A billow of purple magic gave me an almighty shove, which sent me tumbling out the door. After the magic faded, and before the door slammed shut, I saw him collapse back onto the couch, exhausted. The door slammed, and a faint purple mist formed around it, a locking spell.

Third Person POV The picture disappeared, and Mystic fell backwards with a gasp. "To heck with my answer of no! He needs help!" "Glad you feel that way." Gaia said. Mystic whistled for Silver Fang. He raced up. "Where to?" "My residence hall! And hurry!" the wolf obeyed, shooting into the forest like a blur. Mystic paid no mind to the scenery flashing by her. Her mind was focused on what might be wrong with Dark, and what she ought to take with her. Duel Monsters didn't get sick often, so once she was in Dark's quarters, she wouldn't be allowed to leave until he was fully healed. The laws, set down by the Creator, dictated this. It was such because some of the weaker monsters could be seriously hurt, or even killed, if a new disease spread over the area. Mystic raced into her room after Silver Fang left her at the door, and burst inside, finding Joan sitting on her bed reading. "Hey there. What's the rush?" she asked. "DarkMagician'sbeenhurtreallybadlyandit lookedlikehe'sgotafeverhisbreathingdidn'tsoundnonetogoodeitherand thecombinationofalockingspellandaquickcloudofstufftopushKuribohout ofhisroomcompletelyexhaustedhimI'mgoingoverthererightnowI'llsee youwhenhe'sbetter! BYE!" (Just incase you didn't catch that, she said the following: 'Dark Magician's been hurt really badly and it looked like he's got a fever. His breathing didn't sound none to good either, and the combination of a locking spell and a quick cloud of stuff to push Kuriboh out of his room completely exhausted him. I'm going over there right now, I'll see you when he's better! BYE!') Saint Joan was stunned by this rapidly delivered information. "O-okay. Bye." Mystic didn't hear her. She was running outside, charging away in the direction of the Spell-Casters residence hall.

Once she'd gotten inside the hall, she walked quickly up to the second floor, and found a group of monsters clustered around Dark's door. "What are you doing here?" She asked. Vampire Lady stepped up to answer. There's a locking spell on the door, and the Dark Magician hasn't been seen for several days. We all want to know what's going on. Do you know? You look like a healer." Mystic sighed, opting to protect the Dark Magician's privacy. "That's what I'm here to find out." The Vampire Lady bowed and moved out of the way, as did the other monsters. Mystic placed both palms on the smooth wood of the door, expecting to feel the familiar buzz of magic. Instead, there was a faint tingle beneath her hands, nothing more. Panicking, she used her own magic to 'shove' both the door and the barrier holding it. The magic gave like wet paper, and the door swung open. Mystic raced inside, pulling the door closed behind her. The Dark Magician, being a high-level monster, had a suite of rooms, and several doors were equipped with locking spells. But, looking for the monster turned out to be easy. A trail of bloody footprints led from the door to the living room, and Dark lay on his couch, exactly where he'd been in the memory. The only reason that the footprints were there was that the spell to clean them up and prevent stains ran on the magic of the Dark Magician. The spell was so weak it just held the liquid where it was and prevented it from actually touching the floor. Mystic juiced up the spell with one of her own and moved to attend the fallen monster.

His left arm was at an odd angle, as was his right leg. "Broken. Hmmm looks like they were snapped pretty soundly. Who…or what…could have done this?" as if in response to her question, Dark stirred and groaned. "D-d-d-dark Magician! You-you-you're awake!" "What, did you think I was dead?" the mage asked. His voice was barely audible, and scratchy. "From the scare you gave me, yes I did, or close to it." "Great." "What happened to you?" "I really don't know. It…or they…came up behind me, and I never saw faces, wings, or anything I could identify." "Okay, I need you to help me get your shirt off. Just don't-" Dark tried to use his left arm and yelped. "-use your left arm. Listen, lets try fixing your arm first. This is gonna hurt." Even with this warning, Dark wasn't prepared for what came next. Mystic put one hand on his shoulder and wrapped the other around his left wrist. Quickly, she yanked the broken limb towards herself. Dark gave voice to an animal-like roar of pain. Bright blue light surrounded the site of the break, and then faded. Mystic released his arm and rubbed her ears. "I told you it would hurt, but would you listen? Nooooo. Okay, lets do your leg now. Hold onto the couch and keep your mouth shut." Dark nodded. The same process, minus the yelling, was repeated for his leg. "How do they feel?" Mystic asked, gesturing at the previously broken limbs. "Pretty good. They hurt though. Not a sharp hurt like before you fixed them, sort of like an ache." "Yeah, I can't do anything about that. It's a residual ache from the healing. It'll fade eventually. Stand up for me please." Dark obeyed, voicing a startled yelp as he did so. "What?!" Mystic leaped at him. "OW! Felt like I was just stabbed in the chest. Owowowow." Mystic frowned. "Put your arms over your head." Dark obeyed, and Mystic carefully eased his shirt off him. He was about to put his arms back down, but she stopped him and put her ear close to the right side of his chest. "Take a couple deep breaths for me please." He obeyed. Mystic could hear a grating noise as he did so. "I should've guessed." "Guessed what? And can I put my hands down?" "_May_ I put my hands down. And yes, you may. As to the first question, you've got broken ribs. Lie down on the couch." He did so, accompanied by several squeaks of pain as he jarred the broken bones. "Okay, open your mouth." "What does opening my mouth have to do with my broken ribs?" "Just do it." "Not until I know." "Because I'd like to be able to hear when I'm done here, and if you don't do what I told , I'm going to be temporarily deaf, due to you yelling." "I shouldn't have asked." "Quite right. OPEN." He did. The girl dug around in her satchel for a moment, then pulled out several lengths of leather with silvery metal glinting on them. Mystic put a thick strap in Dark's mouth, and neatly placed another slim length behind his head, then tightened the buckle on the side. Dark growled indignantly around the leather in his mouth. "Don't look at me like that! I can heal any bone you happen to break, but the one that hurts the most is your ribs. You've broken at least 6, and that's just a rough guess for you right side. Try to bite that instead of yelling, but don't sever it." "Ow koo dah do at?" (How could I do that?) "You've got elven blood like I do, and that means sharp canines." Mystic explained. Noting the confused look on her patient's face, she bared her own teeth in a feral grin. "Oh" "Anyway, you might want to close you eyes, since this is gonna look really weird. And, to let you know beforehand, this is going to hurt worse than a Neutron Blast from a Blue Eyes White Dragon." Dark Magician's eyes went wide, and he struggled against the invisible restraints that had been brought into being by Mystic, whimpering in fright. "Believe me, it'll hurt a lot more if you leave it the way it is now. Just calm down and relax." "Ow oh oo pek ee to oo hat?" (How do you expect me to do that?) "I could knock you out." Dark shook his head. "Okay, just concentrate on something peaceful, and close you eyes." Once her instructions had been followed, she knelt beside him and placed her hands gently on his chest, closed her own eyes, and began. Bright blue light spilled from her fingers and sank into Dark's skin. A soft whine issued from the mage's mouth as the skin over his ribs rippled, or, rather, the bones beneath it moved. The movement became more pronounced, and the whining turned into muffled cries. Then the movement stopped, and his ribs settled. The glow returned, and spread over his entire body. The many cuts, gashes, and other injuries that could be identified by the dried blood around them closed up and healed. The cries softened, changing into gentle sobs that made his body shudder. Finally, the light faded, and Mystic released the bonds that had kept Dark from falling off the couch while she healed him. Getting up, she moved to the boy's head. To her surprise, his eyes sparkled with tears unshed. "Ohhhh, I'm sorry." She whispered, and hugged him carefully. He gave another shuddering sob, and the tears began to fall, tracing crystal tracks down his cheeks. Throwing caution to the winds, Mystic pulled him to her, and let him cry.


End file.
